Information processing apparatus, information processing system, and display method

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus includes: a total amount control unit that applies a total amount controlling process to perform correction such that a sum of density values of all pixels composing the color plane data and clear plane data becomes not larger than a certain value; a clear toner plane generating unit that generates clear toner plane data based on gloss control plane data, the clear plane data and the color plane data; a difference calculating unit that calculates a difference between the density value of a pixel of the clear toner plane data and the density value of the pixel of the clear toner plane data to which the total amount controlling process is applied, for each pixel; and a display unit that displays an inconsistent region composed of a pixel in which the difference is not smaller than a predetermined threshold.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by referencethe entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-066407 filedin Japan on Mar. 22, 2012.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, aninformation processing system, and a display method.

2. Description of the Related Art

There is a conventional image forming device equipped with a cleartoner, which is a colorless toner without a color material, in additionto toners of four colors of C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow), and K(black). A toner image formed by such clear toner is fixed to arecording medium such as transfer paper on which an image is formed bythe CMYK toners, and as a result, a visual effect and a tactile effect(hereinafter, referred to as a “surface effect”) are realized on asurface of the recording medium.

The surface effect to be realized differs depending on the toner imageformed by the clear toner and a manner of fixing the same. There is thesurface effect, which simply applies gloss, and the surface effect,which reduces the gloss. Also, the surface effect to be applied to onlya part and the surface effect to provide a texture and a watermark bythe clear toner are also required in addition to the surface effectapplied to an entire surface. There also is a case in which surfaceprotection is required.

It is already known to perform a total amount controlling process tolimit a total amount of the toner to be used so as not to be larger thana certain threshold when the image is formed by the toners of the fourcolors of CYMK in general, because an image quality at the time ofprinting is deteriorated due to blur of a character or uneven fixingcaused by scattered toner when a used amount of the toner is too large.

A maximum value of the total amount of the toner to be used is fixed ingeneral also in a five-color image forming device obtained by adding theclear toner to the image forming device equipped with the toners of thefour colors, so that total amount control for each color materialbecomes more severe when the number of color materials increases.

Since there is limitation of an attached amount of the clear toner inthis manner, there is a case in which the clear toner is not attached asspecified by a user; technology to confirm the same in advance is known.

For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-265405discloses a method of switching to a printing process in which theattached amount of the toner becomes automatically larger in order toavoid deterioration in visibility due to a small attached amount of aspecial toner. Specifically, the technology of Japanese PatentApplication Laid-open No. 2009-265405 has a function to preview-displayan effect with respect to the attached amount of the toner in advance ina test chart and allow the user to specify the same, and switch totwo-pass printing in which the recording medium is allowed to passthrough a fixing device twice to perform the printing when a specifiedeffect cannot be obtained when the printing is executed. According tothis, the user may confirm whether an expected attached amount of theclear toner may be realized before the printing.

However, in the technology of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.2009-265405, there is a problem that the user cannot confirm a portionof a document in which the specified effect cannot be obtained by theclear toner.

That is to say, the conventional technology has a problem that the usercannot grasp the portion in which the effect by the clear toner cannotbe obtained due to lack of clear toner by an effect of the total amountcontrolling process of the toner in a pixel level in advance beforeexecuting a print job by a printing device. It is difficult to find aslight difference in color and the portion in which the effect by theclear toner cannot be obtained in the pixel level even when a printedmatter is checked after the printing is executed.

In the technology of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.2009-265405, although the effect of the total amount control may beavoided by switching to the two-pass printing, a system configuration topass through the fixing device twice is required in order to realize thetwo-pass printing, so that there is a problem that an excessive systemconfiguration is required.

In view of the above, there is a need to provide the informationprocessing apparatus, the information processing system, and the displaymethod capable of allowing the user to grasp the portion in which theeffect by the clear toner cannot be obtained due to the total amountcontrolling process of the toner in the pixel level before the printingis executed, thereby easily obtaining the printed matter with a desiredeffect by the clear toner while maintaining the printing quality withoutthe excessive system configuration.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to at least partially solve theproblems in the conventional technology.

An information processing apparatus is connected to a printing devicethat is equipped with a colored color toner and a colorless clear tonerand forms an image on a recording medium based on color plane data toattach the color toner and clear toner plane data to attach the cleartoner. The information processing apparatus includes: a total amountcontrol unit that applies a total amount controlling process to thecolor plane data and clear plane data in which a density value tospecify a transparent image by the clear toner is specified, to performcorrection such that a sum of density values of all pixels composing thecolor plane data and the clear plane data becomes not larger than acertain value in a predetermined case; a clear toner plane generatingunit that generates the clear toner plane data based on gloss controlplane data in which a type of a surface effect, which is a visual ortactile effect to be applied to the recording medium, and the densityvalue to specify a region in the recording medium to which the surfaceeffect is applied are specified, the clear plane data, and the colorplane data; a determining unit that determines whether the total amountcontrolling process is applied to the clear plane data of the cleartoner plane data and the color plane data; a difference calculating unitthat calculates a difference between the density value of a pixel of theclear toner plane data and the density value of the pixel of the cleartoner plane data to which the total amount controlling process isapplied, for each pixel, when the total amount controlling process isapplied to the clear plane data of the clear toner plane data and thecolor plane data; an extracting unit that extracts an inconsistentregion composed of a pixel in which the difference is not smaller than apredetermined threshold; and a display unit that displays theinconsistent region.

An information processing system is connected to a printing device thatis equipped with a colored color toner and a colorless clear toner andforms an image on a recording medium based on color plane data to attachthe color toner and clear toner plane data to attach the clear toner.The information processing system includes: a total amount control unitthat applies a total amount controlling process to the color plane dataand clear plane data in which a density value to specify a transparentimage by the clear toner is specified, to perform correction such that asum of density values of all pixels composing the color plane data andthe clear plane data becomes not larger than a certain value in apredetermined case; a clear toner plane generating unit that generatesthe clear toner plane data based on gloss control plane data in which atype of a surface effect, which is a visual or tactile effect to beapplied to the recording medium, and the density value to specify aregion in the recording medium to which the surface effect is appliedare specified, the clear plane data, and the color plane data; adetermining unit that determines whether the total amount controllingprocess is applied to the clear plane data of the clear toner plane dataand the color plane data; a difference calculating unit that calculatesa difference between the density value of a pixel of the clear tonerplane data and the density value of the pixel of the clear toner planedata to which the total amount controlling process is applied, for eachpixel, when the total amount controlling process is applied to the clearplane data of the clear toner plane data and the color plane data; anextracting unit that extracts an inconsistent region composed of a pixelin which the difference is not smaller than a predetermined value; and adisplay unit that displays the inconsistent region.

A display method is executed by an information processing systemconnected to a printing device that is equipped with a colored colortoner and a colorless clear toner and forms an image on a recordingmedium based on color plane data to attach the color toner and cleartoner plane data to attach the clear toner. The display method includes:a total amount controlling step of applying a total amount controllingprocess to the color plane data and clear plane data in which a densityvalue to specify a transparent image by the clear toner is specified, toperform correction such that a sum of density values of all pixelscomposing the color plane data and the clear plane data becomes notlarger than a certain value in a predetermined case; a clear toner planegenerating step of generating the clear toner plane data based on glosscontrol plane data in which a type of a surface effect, which is avisual or tactile effect to be applied to the recording medium, and thedensity value to specify a region in the recording medium to which thesurface effect is applied are specified, the clear plane data, and thecolor plane data; a determining step of determining whether the totalamount controlling process is applied to the clear plane data of theclear toner plane data and the color plane data; a differencecalculating step of calculating a difference between the density valueof a pixel of the clear toner plane data and the density value of thepixel of the clear toner plane data to which the total amountcontrolling process is applied, for each pixel, when the total amountcontrolling process is applied to the clear plane data of the cleartoner plane data and the color plane data; an extracting step ofextracting an inconsistent region composed of a pixel in which thedifference is not smaller than a predetermined value; and a displayingstep of displaying the inconsistent region.

The above and other objects, features, advantages and technical andindustrial significance of this invention will be better understood byreading the following detailed description of presently preferredembodiments of the invention, when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a configuration of an image forming systemaccording to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example of image data of a color plane;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a type of a surface effect regardingpresence of gloss;

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating image data of a gloss control plane imagedata as an image;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an example of image data of a clear plane;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a density value selectiontable;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating correspondence relationship among adrawing object, a coordinate, and a density value in the image data ofthe gloss control plane in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram schematically illustrating a configurationexample of print data;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configurationof document data;

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a functional configuration of a DFE;

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a data configuration of a surface effectselection table;

FIG. 12 is a graph for illustrating a total amount controlling process;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of clear tonerplane comparison setting screen;

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of a printing device;

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a jobselection screen;

FIG. 16 is an illustrative diagram schematically illustrating an entireflow of a display process;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of the display process;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating (a rest of) the procedure of thedisplay process;

FIG. 19 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of a previewscreen before printing displayed on a display device 502;

FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a comparing processof clear toner plane data;

FIG. 21 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of adifference information table;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a total amountcontrol confirmation display process;

FIG. 23 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of thepreview screen in which a preview image in which total amount controlconfirmation display is performed is displayed;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a detailed displayprocess;

FIG. 25 is a view illustrating a configuration of an image formingsystem according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 26 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of aserver device according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of aDFE of the second embodiment;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a display process ofa preview image by the server device of the second embodiment;

FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a total amountcontrol confirmation display process;

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a detailed displayprocess by the server device of the second embodiment;

FIG. 31 is a network configuration diagram in which two servers areprovided on a cloud; and

FIG. 32 is a hardware configuration diagram of a host device, the DFE,and the server device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of an information processing apparatus, an informationprocessing system, and a display method are hereinafter described indetail with reference to the attached drawings.

First Embodiment

A configuration of an image forming system according to a firstembodiment is first described with reference to FIG. 1. In thisembodiment, the image forming system is composed of a printer controldevice (DFE: Digital Front End) 50 (hereinafter, referred to as a “DFE50”), an interface controller (MIC: Mechanism I/F Controller) 60(hereinafter, referred to as a “MIC 60”), a printer 70, and a glosser 80and a low-temperature fixing unit 90 as post processing units connectedto one another. The DFE 50 communicates with the printer 70 through theMIC 60 to control image formation by the printer 70. Also, a host device10 such as a PC (Personal Computer) is connected to the DFE 50, and theDFE 50 receives image data from the host device 10 and generates imagedata for the printer 70 to form a toner image corresponding to CMYKtoners and a clear toner by using the image data to transmit to theprinter 70 through the MIC 60. The printer 70 is equipped with at leastthe CMYK toners and the clear toner and with an image forming unitincluding a photosensitive element, a charger, a developing unit, and aphotosensitive-element cleaner, an exposing unit, and a fixing unit foreach toner.

Meanwhile, the printer 70, the glosser 80, and the low-temperaturefixing unit 90 compose a printing device 30.

Herein, the clear toner is a transparent (colorless) toner without acolor material. Meanwhile, transparent (colorless) is intended to meanthat transmission is 70% or higher, for example.

The printer 70 applies optical beam from the exposing unit according tothe image data transmitted from the DFE 50 through the MIC 60 to formthe toner image corresponding to each toner on the photosensitiveelement, transfers the same to paper as a recording medium, and fixesthe same by applying heat and pressure at a temperature in apredetermined range (normal temperature) by the fixing unit. Accordingto this, the image is formed on the paper. A configuration of suchprinter 70 is well-known, so that a detailed description thereof isherein omitted. Meanwhile, the paper is an example of the recordingmedium and the recording medium is not limited thereto. For example,synthetic paper, plastic paper and the like may also be applied as therecording medium.

The glosser 80 is controlled to be turned on or off by on/offinformation specified by the DFE 50, and when this is turned on, thisapplies pressure to the image formed on the paper by the printer 70 athigh temperature and high pressure, then cools the same and detaches thepaper on which the image is formed from a main body. According to this,a total attached amount of the toner of each pixel to which apredetermined or larger amount of toner is attached is uniformlycompressed over an entire image formed on the paper. The low-temperaturefixing unit 90 is equipped with an image forming unit including aphotosensitive element, a charger, a developing unit, and aphotosensitive-element cleaner for the clear toner, an exposing unit,and a fixing unit to fix the clear toner, and image data of a cleartoner plane to be described later (hereinafter, also referred to as“clear toner plane data”) generated by the DFE 50 to use thelow-temperature fixing unit 90 is input thereto. When the DFE 50generates the image data of the clear toner plane (clear toner planedata) to be used by the low-temperature fixing unit 90, thelow-temperature fixing unit 90 forms the toner image by the clear tonerby using the same and superimposes the toner image on the paper to whichthe pressure is applied by the glosser 80 to fix the same to the paperby applying heat or pressure lower than usual by the fixing unit.

Here, the image data (document data) input from the host device 10 isdescribed. In the host device 10, the image data is generated by animage processing application installed in advance (such as a dataprocessing unit 120, a plane data generating unit 122, a print datagenerating unit 123 to be described later) and is transmitted to the DFE50. Such image processing application may handle image data of a specialcolor plane as against image data of each color plane such as an RGBplane and a CMYK plane in which a value of density (referred to as adensity value) of each color is defined for each pixel. The specialcolor plane is the image data to attach a special toner and ink such aswhite, gold, and silver in addition to basic colors such as CMYK andRGB, and is the data for a printer equipped with such special toner andink. The special color plane might add R to the CMYK basic colors or addY to the RGB basic colors in order to improve color reproducibility. Ingeneral, the clear toner also is handled as one of special colors.

In this embodiment, the clear toner as the special color is used to forma surface effect, which is a visual or tactile effect to be applied tothe paper, and to form a transparent image such as a watermark and atexture other than the above-described surface effect on the paper.

Therefore, the image processing application of the host device 10generates image data of a gloss control plane (hereinafter, alsoreferred to as “gloss control plane data”) and/or image data of a clearplane (hereinafter, also referred to as “clear plane data”) according tospecification by a user as the image data of the special color plane inaddition to image data of a color plane (hereinafter, also referred toas “color plane data”) with respect to input image data.

Herein, the color plane data is the image data in which the densityvalue of a color such as RGB and CMYK is defined for each pixel. In thecolor plane data, one pixel is represented by eight bits according tospecification of a color by the user. FIG. 2 is an illustrative diagramillustrating an example of the color plane data. In FIG. 2, the densityvalue corresponding to the color specified by the user by the imageprocessing application is applied to each drawing object such as “A”,“B”, and “C”.

The gloss control plane data is the image data in which a region towhich the surface effect is applied and a type of the surface effect arespecified to perform control to attach the clear toner according to thesurface effect, which is the visual or tactile effect to be applied tothe paper.

In the gloss control plane, each pixel is represented by the densityvalue in a range from “0” to “255” by eight bits as in the color planesuch as RGB and CMYK, and the type of the surface effect is associatedwith the density value (density value may be represented by 16 bits or32 bits or 0 to 100%). The same value is set to a range to which thesame surface effect is to be applied irrespective of the density of theclear toner actually attached, so that the region may be easilyidentified from the image data if needed even when there is no dataindicating the region. That is to say, the type of the surface effectand the region to which the surface effect is applied are indicated bythe gloss control plane (data indicating the region may be separatelyadded).

Herein, the host device 10 generates the gloss control plane data in avector format by setting the type of the surface effect for the drawingobject specified by the user by the image processing application as thedensity value as a gloss control value for each drawing object.

Each pixel composing the gloss control plane data corresponds to thepixel of the color plane data. Meanwhile, the density value of eachpixel becomes a pixel value in each image data. The color plane data andthe gloss control plane data are composed in units of page.

The surface effects roughly include the one regarding presence of gloss,surface protection, a watermark with embedded information, a texture andthe like as the types. As the surface effect regarding the presence ofthe gloss, there are roughly four types as illustrated in FIG. 3:specular gloss (PG: Premium Gloss), solid gloss (G: Gloss), halftone-dotmatt (M: Matt), and matt (PM: Premium Matt) in descending order of adegree of gloss (glossiness). Hereinafter, the specular gloss, the solidgloss, the halftone-dot matt, and the matt are sometimes referred to as“PG”, “G”, “M”, and “PM”, respectively.

The specular gloss and the solid gloss have a high degree of gloss, onthe other hand, the halftone-dot matt and the matt reduce the gloss, andespecially, the matt realizes lower glossiness than the glossiness ofnormal paper. In the drawing, the specular gloss indicates glossiness Gsof 80 or higher, the solid gloss indicates solid glossiness of a primarycolor or a secondary color, the halftone-dot matt indicates theglossiness of the primary color with 30% of halftone dots, and the mattindicates the glossiness of 10 or lower. Deviation of the glossiness isrepresented by ΔGs and this is set to 10 or lower. For each type of thesurface effect, a high density value is associated with the surfaceeffect, which gives a high level of gloss, and a low density value isassociated with the surface effect, which reduces the gloss. The surfaceeffect such as the watermark and the texture is associated with anintermediate density value. A character, a background pattern and thelike are used as the watermark, for example. The texture indicates thecharacter and a pattern and may apply the tactile effect in addition tothe visual effect. For example, a stained glass pattern may be realizedby the clear toner. The specular gloss and the solid gloss are used as asubstitute for the surface protection. Meanwhile, the user specifies theregion of the image indicated by the image data, which is a processingtarget, to which the surface effect is applied and the type of thesurface effect to be applied to the region by means of the imageprocessing application. In the host device 10, which executes the imageprocessing application, the density value corresponding to the surfaceeffect specified by the user is set for the drawing object, whichcomposes the region specified by the user, and according to this, thegloss control plane data is generated. Correspondence relationshipbetween the density value and the type of the surface effect is to bedescribed later.

FIG. 4 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of the glosscontrol plane data. In an example of the gloss control plane in FIG. 4,an example in which the surface effect “PG (specular gloss)” is appliedto a drawing object “ABC”, the surface effect “G (solid gloss)” isapplied to a drawing object “(rectangle)”, and the surface effect “M(halftone-dot matt)” is applied to a drawing object “(circle)” by theuser is illustrated. Meanwhile, the density value set for each surfaceeffect is the density value defined corresponding to the type of thesurface effect in a density value selection table (refer to FIG. 9) tobe described later.

The clear plane data is the image data in which the transparent imagesuch as the watermark and the texture other than the above-describedsurface effect is specified. FIG. 5 is an illustrative diagramillustrating an example of the clear plane data. In an example in FIG.5, a watermark “Sale” is specified by the user.

In this manner, the gloss control plane data and the clear plane data,which are the image data of the special color plane, are generated bythe image processing application of the host device 10 by a plane otherthan that of the color plane data. A PDF (Portable Document Format) isused as a format of the color plane data, the gloss control plane data,and the clear plane data, and pieces of PDF image data of each plane areintegrated into document data. Meanwhile, the data format of the imagedata of each plane is not limited to the PDF and any format may also beused.

Herein, the image processing application of the host device 10 convertsthe type of the surface effect specified by the user to the densityvalue to generate the gloss control plane data. Such conversion isperformed with reference to the density value selection table stored inadvance in a storage unit of the host device 10. The density valueselection table is table data in which the type of the surface effectand the density value of the gloss control plane corresponding to thetype of the surface effect are associated with each other. FIG. 6 is aview illustrating an example of the density value selection table. In anexample in FIG. 6, the density value of the gloss control planecorresponding to the region for which “PG” (specular gloss) is specifiedby the user is “98%”, the density value of the gloss control planecorresponding to the region for which “G” (solid gloss) is specified is“90%”, the density value of the gloss control plane corresponding to theregion for which “M” (halftone-dot matt) is specified is “16%”, and thedensity value of the gloss control plane corresponding to the region forwhich “PM” (matt) is specified is “6%”, respectively.

The density value selection table is a part of data of a surface effectselection table (to be described later) stored in the DFE 50 generatedfrom the surface effect selection table obtained by a control unit ofthe host device 10 at a predetermined timing to be stored in the storageunit. Meanwhile, it is also possible to configure such that the surfaceeffect selection table is stored in a storage server (cloud) on anetwork such as the Internet and a control unit 15 obtains the surfaceeffect selection table from the server to perform generation from theobtained surface effect selection table. However, it is required thatthe surface effect selection table stored in the DFE 50 and the surfaceeffect selection table stored in the storage unit of the host device arethe same data.

Specifically, the image processing application of the host device 10generates the gloss control plane data by setting the density value(gloss control value) of the drawing object for which a predeterminedsurface effect is specified by the user to a value corresponding to thetype of the surface effect with reference to the density value selectiontable illustrated in FIG. 6. For example, a case in which the userspecifies to apply “PG”, “G”, and “M” to the region in which “ABC” isdisplayed, the rectangular region, and the circular region,respectively, of a target image, which is the color plane dataillustrated in FIG. 2 is assumed. In this case, the host device 10 setsthe density value of the drawing object (“ABC”) for which “PG” isspecified by the user to “98%”, sets the density value of the drawingobject (“rectangle”) for which “G” is specified to “90%”, and sets thedensity value of the drawing object (“circle”) for which “M” isspecified to “16%” with reference to the density value selection table,thereby generating the gloss control plane data. The gloss control planedata generated by the host device 10 is the data in the vector formatrepresented as a set of coordinates of points, parameters of equationsof lines and planes connecting the points, and the drawing objectsindicating a filled portion and a special effect. FIG. 4 is a viewillustrating the gloss control plane data as an image and FIG. 7 is aview illustrating correspondence relationship among the drawing object,the coordinate, and the density value in the gloss control plane data inFIG. 4.

The host device 10 generates the document data obtained by integratingthe gloss control plane data, the image data of the target image (colorplane data), and the clear plane data.

Then, the host device 10 generates print data based on the documentdata. The print data includes the image data of the target image (colorplane data), the gloss control plane data, the clear plane data, and ajob command to specify printer setting, aggregation setting, and duplexsetting, for example, for the printer. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagramschematically illustrating a configuration example of the print data.Although JDF (Job Definition Format) is used as the job command in anexample in FIG. 8, the job command is not limited thereto. The JDFillustrated in FIG. 8 is a command, which specifies “single sidedprinting with stapling” as the aggregation setting. Also, the print datamay be converted to page description language (PDL) such as PostScriptor this may be maintained in the PDF when the DFE 50 supports the same.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an example of a detailed configuration ofthe print data. The print data includes drawing information indicatingone or a plurality of drawing regions (objects) specified by the colorplane data, the gloss control plane data, and the clear plane data inone page (same page). FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a case in whichthe print data includes five objects, which are objects 1 to 5, in afirst page, for example.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, the object 1 indicates the drawingregion of a color image specified by the color plane data. The object 2indicates the drawing region of the transparent image specified by theclear plane data. Each of the objects 3 to 5 indicates the drawingregion specified by the gloss control plane data.

The print data includes information indicating a position of the drawingregion, a color space, and the density as the drawing information foreach object. The position of the drawing region is indicated bycoordinate information or a set of pieces of the coordinate information,for example. The color space indicates which of the color image, thetransparent image, and a gloss region each drawing region (object) is.The color image is specified by the color plane data. The transparentimage is specified by the clear plane data. The gloss region isspecified by the gloss control plane data. In the example in FIG. 9, acase in which the density value (0 to 100%) is set as the density ofeach object is illustrated as an example. Also, in the exampleillustrated in FIG. 9, a case in which a drawing region group of thecolor image specified by the color plane data is handled as one object(drawing region) is illustrated.

Next, a functional configuration of the DFE 50 is described. FIG. 10 isa block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the DFE 50.As illustrated in FIG. 10, the DFE 50 is principally provided with anoperating/display unit 500, a data processing unit 520, and a print datatransmitting unit 550.

The data processing unit 520 is principally configured to receive theprint data from the host device 10, generate the clear toner plane databased on the color plane data, the clear plane data, and the glosscontrol plane data included in the received print data, and apply atotal amount controlling process to the color plane data and the clearplane data, which compose the clear toner plane data.

The print data transmitting unit 550 transmits the clear toner planedata generated by the data processing unit 520 to the MIC 60 as theprint data.

The operating/display unit 500 displays various screens and informationto the user and accepts an operation input from the user. In thisembodiment, the operating/display unit 500 generates a preview imageobtained by estimating a print result to display to the user andcompares the clear toner plane data before the total amount controllingprocess and the clear toner plane data to which the total amountcontrolling process is performed to display a comparison result to theuser.

First, the data processing unit 520 is described in detail. The dataprocessing unit 520 is principally provided with an input unit 521, aplane data generating unit 530, a density correction unit 540, ahalftone screening processing unit 522, a RAM (Random Access Memory)540, and a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) as illustrated in FIG. 10.

The input unit 521 receives the image data transmitted from the hostdevice 10 (for example, the print data illustrated in FIG. 8) to storein the HDD 530 and reads the print data stored in the HDD 530 to developin the RAM 540. Herein, the RAM 540 is used as a working memory. In theHOD 530, the surface effect selection table to be described later isstored in addition to the print data received from the host device 10.

The plane data generating unit 530 is provided with a converting unit531 and a clear toner plane generating unit 532. The converting unit 531performs linguistic interpretation of the input print data to convertthe print data represented in the vector format to a raster format andconverts the color space represented in an RGB format and the like tothe color space in a CMYK format, thereby outputting eight-bit imagedata of the color plane of each of CMYK (color plane data), eight-bitgloss control plane data, and eight-bit clear plane data. Herein, theDFE 50 converts the gloss control plane data in the vector format outputfrom the host device 10 to the raster format, and as a result, the DFE50 outputs the gloss control plane data by setting the type of thesurface effect for the drawing object specified by the user by the imageprocessing application as the density value for each pixel.

The clear toner plane generating unit 532 inputs the eight-bit glosscontrol plane data converted by the converting unit 531 and inputs theeight-bit color plane data of each of CMYK to which gamma correction isperformed by a calibration unit 541 and the clear plane data transmittedfrom the input unit 521. The clear toner plane generating unit 532generates the clear toner plane data by using the eight-bit color planedata of each of CMYK, the eight-bit gloss control plane data, and theclear plane data. For example, the clear toner plane generating unit 532determines the surface effect for the density value (pixel value) ofeach pixel, which composes the gloss control plane data, with referenceto the surface effect selection table to be described later from thegloss control plane data and decides to turn on or off the glosser 80according to the determination, and appropriately generates an inversemask and a solid mask by using the eight-bit color plane data of each ofCMYK, which is input, thereby appropriately generating two-bit cleartoner plane data to attach the clear toner. Then, according to a resultof the determination of the surface effect, the clear toner planegenerating unit 532 appropriately generates the clear toner plane dataused by the printer 70 and the clear toner plane data used by thelow-temperature fixing unit 90 to output, and outputs the on/offinformation indicating on or off of the glosser 80.

Herein, the inverse mask is configured to uniformize the total attachedamount obtained by combining the CMYK toners and the clear toner on eachpixel composing a target region to which the surface effect is to beapplied. Specifically, the image data obtained by adding all the densityvalues of the pixel composing the target region in the color plane dataof CMYK and subtracting the added value from a predetermined valuebecomes the inverse mask. For example, an inverse mask 1 described aboveis represented by a following equation (1).

Clr=100−(C+M+Y+K), where Clr=0 when Clr<0 is satisfied  (1)

In the equation (1), each of Clr, C, M, Y, and K represents a densityratio converted from the density value of each pixel for each of theclear toner and the toners of C, M, Y, and K, respectively. That is tosay, by the equation (1), the total attached amount obtained by addingthe attached amount of the clear toner to the total attached amount ofthe toners of C, M, Y, and K is set to 100% for all the pixels composingthe target region to which the surface effect is applied. Meanwhile,when the total attached amount of the toners of C, M, Y, and K is equalto or larger than 100%, the clear toner is not attached and the densityratio thereof is set to 0%. This is because a portion in which the totalattached amount of the toners of C, M, Y, and K is larger than 100% issmoothed by a fixing process. In this manner, by setting the totalattached amount on all the pixels composing the target region to whichthe surface effect is applied equal to or larger than 100%, surfaceirregularity caused by a difference in the total attached amount of thetoner is removed in the target region, and as a result, the gloss byregular reflection of light is generated. However, there is the inversemask obtained by other than the equation (1), and there may be aplurality of types of the inverse masks.

For example, the inverse mask may be configured to uniformly attach theclear toner to each pixel. The inverse mask in this case is alsoreferred to as the solid mask and is represented by a following equation(2).

Clr=100  (2)

Meanwhile, there may be the pixel with which the density ratio otherthan 100% is associated in target pixels to which the surface effect isapplied and there may be a plurality of patterns of the solid masks.

The inverse mask may also be obtained by multiplication of a backgroundexposing ratio of each color, for example. The inverse mask in this caseis represented by a following equation (3), for example.

Clr=100×{(100−C)/100}×{(100−M)/100}×{(100−Y)/100}×{(100−K)/100}  (3)

In the above-described equation (3), (100−C)/100 represents thebackground exposing ratio of C, (100−M)/100 represents the backgroundexposing ratio of M, (100−Y)/100 represents the background exposingratio of Y, and (100−K)/100 represents the background exposing ratio ofK, respectively.

The inverse mask may also be obtained by a method based on an assumptionthat the halftone dot having a maximum area ratio controls smoothness,for example. The inverse mask in this case is represented by a followingequation (4), for example.

Clr=100−max(C,M,Y,K)  (4)

In the above-described equation (4), max(C, M, Y, K) represents that thedensity value of the color having the maximum density value among CMYKbecomes a representative value.

In short, the inverse masks may be represented by any of theabove-described equations (1) to (4).

The surface effect selection table is the table, which indicates thecorrespondence relationship between the density value as the glosscontrol value indicating the surface effect and the type of the surfaceeffect, and indicates the correspondence relationship among them,control information regarding the post processing unit corresponding tothe configuration of the image formation system, the clear toner planedata used by the printer 70, and the clear toner plane data used by thepost processing unit. A configuration of the image forming system mightdiffer variously; in this embodiment, this is the configuration in whichthe glosser 80 and the low-temperature fixing unit 90 are connected tothe printer 70 as the post processing units. Therefore, the controlinformation regarding the post processing unit corresponding to theconfiguration of the image forming system is the on/off informationindicating on or off of the glosser 80. Also, there is the clear tonerplane data used by the low-temperature fixing unit 90 as the clear tonerplane data used by the post processing unit. FIG. 11 is a viewillustrating a data configuration of the surface effect selection table.Meanwhile, although the surface effect selection table may be configuredto indicate the correspondence relationship among the controlinformation regarding the post processing unit, image data of a cleartone plane 1 used by the printer 70 (clear toner plane data 1), imagedata of a clear toner plane 2 used by the post processing unit (cleartoner plane data 2), the density value, and the type of the surfaceeffect for each of different configurations of the image forming system,the data configuration according to the configuration of the imageforming system according to this embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 11.In the correspondence relationship between the type of the surfaceeffect and the density value illustrated in the drawing, each type ofthe surface effect is associated with each range of the density values.Also, each type of the surface effect is associated with a rate of thedensity (density ratio) converted from the value, which represents therange of the density values (representative value), in units of 2%.Specifically, the surface effect to apply the gloss (specular effect andsolid effect) is associated with the range of the density values (“212”to “255”) with the density ratio of 84% or higher and the surface effectto reduce the gloss (halftone-dot matt and matt) is associated with therange of the density values (“1” to “43”) with the density ratio of 16%or lower. Also, the surface effect such as the texture and thebackground watermark is associated with the range of the density valueswith the density ratio of 20% to 80%.

More specifically, the specular gloss (PM: Premium Gloss) is associatedas the surface effect with the pixel values “238” to “255”, for example,and different types of the specular gloss are associated with threeranges of the pixel values “238” to “242”, the pixel values “243” to“247”, and the pixel values “248” to “255”. Also, the solid gloss (G:Gloss) is associated with the pixel values “212” to “232” and differenttypes of the solid gloss are associated with four ranges of the pixelvalues “212” to “216”, the pixel values “217” to “221”, the pixel values“222” to “227”, and the pixel values “228” to “232”. Also, thehalftone-dot matt (M: Matt) is associated with the pixel values “23” to“43” and different types of the halftone-dot matt are associated withfour ranges of the pixel values “23” to “28”, the pixel values “29” to“33”, the pixel values “34” to “38”, and the pixel values “39” to “43”.Also, the matt (PM: Premium Matt) is associated with the pixel values“1” to “17” and different types of the matt are associated with threeranges of the pixel values “1” to “7”, the pixel values “8” to “12”, andthe pixel values “13” to “17”. The different types of the same surfaceeffect are different in the equation to obtain the clear toner planedata to be used by the printer 70 and the low-temperature fixing unit 90but the operations performed by a printer main body and the postprocessing unit are the same. Meanwhile, the fact that no surface effectis applied is associated with the density value “0”.

FIG. 11 illustrates the on/off information indicating on or off of theglosser 80 and contents of the clear toner plane data 1 (Clr-1 inFIG. 1) used by the printer 70 and the clear toner plane data 2 used bythe low-temperature fixing unit 90 corresponding to the pixel value andthe surface effect. For example, when the surface effect is the speculargloss, it is indicated that the glosser 80 is turned on and that theclear toner plane data 1 used by the printer 70 indicates the inversemask and there is no clear toner plane data 2 (Clr-2 in FIG. 1) used bythe low-temperature fixing unit 90. The inverse mask is obtained by theabove-described equation (1), for example.

Also, when the density value is in the range of “228” to “232” and thesurface effect is the solid gloss, it is indicated that the glosser 80is turned off and that the clear toner plane data 1 used by the printer70 is the inverse mask 1 and there is no clear toner plane data 2 usedby the low-temperature fixing unit 90. Meanwhile, the inverse mask 1 maybe represented by any of the above-described equations (1) to (4). Sincethe glosser 80 is turned off, the total attached amount of the toner tobe smoothed is different, so that the surface irregularity increasescompared with the specular gloss, and as a result, the solid gloss withlower glossiness than the specular gloss is obtained. When the surfaceeffect is the halftone-dot matt, it is indicated that the glosser 80 isturned off and that the clear toner plane data 1 used by the printer 70indicates halftone (halftone-dot) and there is no clear toner plane data2 used by the low-temperature fixing unit 90. When the surface effect isthe matt, it is indicated that the glosser 80 may be turned on or offand that there is no clear toner plane data 1 used by the printer 70 andthe clear toner plane data 2 used by the low-temperature fixing unit 90indicates the solid mask. The solid mask is obtained by theabove-described equation (2), for example.

The clear toner plane generating unit 532 determines the surface effectassociated with each pixel value indicated by the gloss control planewith reference to the above-described surface effect selection table anddetermines on or off of the glosser 80 to determine the clear tonerplane data used by the printer 70 and the low-temperature fixing unit90. Meanwhile, the clear toner plane generating unit 532 determines onor off of the glosser 80 for each page. As described above, the cleartoner plane generating unit 532 appropriately generates the clear tonerplane data according to a result of the determination to output andoutputs the on/off information for the glosser 80. The clear toner planedata generated by the clear toner plane generating unit 532 is referredto as clear toner plane data α.

With reference to FIG. 10 again, the density correction unit 540 isprovided with the calibration unit 541 and a total amount control unit542. The calibration unit 541 inputs the eight-bit color plane data ofeach of CMYK output from the converting unit 530 and performs the gammacorrection to the eight-bit color plane data of each of CMYK by using agamma curve of 1D_LUT generated by the calibration. The calibration unit541 outputs the eight-bit color plane data of each of CMYK to which thegamma correction is performed to the clear toner plane generating unit532 of the plane data generating unit 530 as the data to generate theinverse mask.

The total amount control unit 542 applies the total amount controllingprocess to the clear toner plane data α generated by the clear tonerplane generating unit 532 to correct such that a sum of the densityvalues of all the pixels of the color plane data and the clear planedata composing the clear toner plane data is a certain value or lower.The clear toner plane data generated by the color plane data and theclear plane data to which the total amount controlling process isapplied is referred to as clear toner plane data β. Meanwhile, the cleartoner plane β also is generated by the above-described clear toner planegenerating unit 532.

Hereinafter, applying the total amount controlling process to the colorplane data and the clear plane data composing the clear toner plane issometimes referred to as “applying the total amount controlling processto the clear toner plane data” and the clear toner plane data generatedby the color plane data and the clear plane data to which the totalamount controlling process is applied is referred to as the “clear tonerplane data after the total amount controlling process” or the “cleartoner plane data to which the total amount controlling process isapplied”.

Specifically, the total amount control unit 542 performs correction ofthe density of the color plane data of each of CMYK and the clear planedata with respect to the density of each pixel of the color plane dataof each of CMYK and the clear plane data so as not to be larger than thetotal attached amount of the toner of the printer.

In general, a toner amount is approximately 260% when regarding themaximum density value in the density values 0 to 255 of each image of C,M, Y, and K as 100%. For example, when a ratio of the sum of the densityvalues of the toners of C, M, Y, and K with respect to 255 is 200% in acertain pixel, the clear toner must not be larger than 60%, that is tosay, the density value 153. Therefore, the total amount control unit 542corrects the density value of the clear toner such that the densityvalue does not become larger than 153. The clear toner plane data βobtained as a result is actually printed.

FIG. 12 is a graph for illustrating the total amount controllingprocess. In the graph illustrated in FIG. 12, an abscissa axisrepresents a pixel position i on the color plane data of C, M, Y, and Kand the clear plane data. A longitudinal axis represents a combinedvalue of the density values of the toners of C, M, Y, and K and theclear toner in each pixel position i.

In an example in FIG. 12, an ideal density value X1 of the pixel of theclear toner in the clear plane data is 254 (X1=254) and a density valueX3 in each pixel position of the color plane data of C, M, Y, and K is421 (X3=421). Therefore, a combined density value of the color planedata of C, M, Y, and K and the clear plane data is 675 and this islarger than the density value 665 corresponding to general 260% by avalue of 10. Therefore, the total amount control unit 542 corrects thedensity value of the clear toner plane data to a density value X2=244 ofthe pixel of the clear toner by subtracting the density value of 10 fromthe color plane data and the clear plane data composing the clear tonerplane data α. According to this, the total amount controlling process isapplied to the clear toner plane data α and the clear toner plane data βafter the correction of the density value is obtained.

The eight-bit color plane data of each of CMYK after the gammacorrection is input to the halftone screening processing unit 522, andthis performs a halftone screening process to convert the input colorplane data to the data format of two-bit image data and the like of eachof CMYK, for example, to output to the printer 70 and outputs thetwo-bit color plane data and the like of each of CMYK after the halftonescreening process. Meanwhile, two-bit is an example and there is nolimitation.

The print data transmitting unit 550 integrates the two-bit data of eachof CMYK after the halftone screening process and the two-bit clear tonerplane data generated by the clear toner plane generating unit 532 andtransmits the integrated image data to the MIC 60. Meanwhile, sincethere is a case in which the clear toner plane generating unit 532 doesnot generate at least one of the clear toner plane data used by theprinter 70 and the clear toner plane data used by the low-temperaturefixing unit 90, the clear toner plane data generated by the clear tonerplane generating unit 532 is integrated by the print data transmittingunit 550, and when the clear toner plane generating unit 532 generatesneither of the clear toner plane data, the image data obtained byintegrating the two-bit color plane data of each of CMYK is output fromthe print data transmitting unit 550. As a result, four to six two-bitimage data are transmitted from the DEE 50 to the MIC 60. The print datatransmitting unit 550 also outputs the on/off information for theglosser 80 output by the clear toner plane generating unit 532 to theMIC 60.

Next, the operating/display unit 500 of the DFE 50 is described indetail with reference to FIG. 10 again. The operating/display unit 500is principally provided with an input device 501, a display device 502,a control unit 503, a setting unit 504, a preview image generating unit506, a clear toner plane comparing unit 510, a HDD 505, and a RAM 560 asillustrated in FIG. 10.

Various setting values are stored in the HDD 505. The RAM 560 is used asthe working memory.

The clear toner plane comparing unit 510 compares the clear toner planedata α before the total amount controlling process is applied and theclear toner plane data β after the total amount controlling process isapplied. The clear toner plane comparing unit 510 is provided with adetermining unit 513, a difference calculating unit 512, and anextracting unit 511 as illustrated in FIG. 10.

The determining unit 513 determines whether the total amount controllingprocess by the total amount control unit 542 is applied to the cleartoner plane data by the density value of the pixel of the clear tonerplane data.

The difference calculating unit 512 calculates a difference between thedensity value of the pixel of the clear toner plane data α before thetotal amount controlling process is applied and the density value of thepixel of the clear toner plane data β to which the total amountcontrolling process is applied for each pixel when the determining unit513 determines that the total amount controlling process is applied tothe clear toner plane data.

More specifically, the difference calculating unit 512 calculates thedifference between the density value of the surface effect of the pixelof the clear toner plane data α and the density value of the surfaceeffect of the pixel of the clear toner plane data β for each pixel forthe pixel generated based on the gloss control plane data in the cleartoner plane data. Also, the difference calculating unit 512 calculatesthe difference between the density value of the pixel of the transparentimage of the clear toner plane data α and the density value of the pixelof the transparent image of the clear toner plane data α for each pixelfor the pixel generated based on the clear plane data in the clear tonerplane data.

The extracting unit 511 determines whether a difference value calculatedby the difference calculating unit 512 is not smaller than a value of asame density range as a threshold and extracts an inconsistent regionfrom the clear toner plane data β. Herein, the inconsistent region is aregion composed of the pixel in which difference value calculated by thedifference calculating unit 512 is not smaller than the value of thesame density range. On the other hand, a region other than theinconsistent region, that is to say, the region composed of the pixel inwhich difference value calculated by the difference calculating unit 512is smaller than the value of the same density range is referred to as aconsistent region.

The input device 501 is an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse,for example. Especially, in this embodiment, this accepts apredetermined input from the user on the preview image displayed on thedisplay device 502.

The display device 502 is a display device such as a display device. Thecontrol unit 503 performs input control from the input device 501 anddisplay control to the display device 502. In this embodiment, thedisplay device 502 displays the preview image, which is the imageobtained by estimating the print result, generated by the preview imagegenerating unit 506. The display device 502 also displays theinconsistent region and the consistent region to be described later onthe preview image.

The display device 502 and the control unit 503 serve as a display unit.Also, the input device 501 and the control unit 503 serve as the inputunit.

The display device 502 displays the inconsistent region and theconsistent region in display forms different from each other by thedisplay control by the control unit 503; more specifically, the displaydevice 502 displays the inconsistent region and the consistent region byspecific colors different from each other by the display control by thecontrol unit 503.

Also, when the control unit 503 determines that a position of anoperation input by the user of the input device 501 is included in theinconsistent region, the display device 502 displays a name of thesurface effect and the difference value in the inconsistent region.

The setting unit 504 allows the display device 502 to display a cleartoner plane comparison setting screen. Then, the setting unit 504accepts inputs of the value of the same density range, specification ofthe color as the display form of the inconsistent region, and thespecification of the color as the display form of the consistent regionby the user from the clear toner plane comparison setting screen bymeans of the input device 501 and sets the value of the same densityrange, the color specification of the inconsistent region, and the colorspecification of the consistent region, which are accepted, by storingthem in the HDD 505.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the cleartoner plane comparison setting screen. In the clear toner planecomparison setting screen, an input field 1301 of the value of the samedensity range and a specification field 1302 of the display color tospecify the color of the inconsistent region and the color of theconsistent region are displayed as illustrated in FIG. 13. The settingunit 504 sets the value specified by the user in the input field 1301 asthe value of the same density range and sets the color specified by theuser in the specification field 1302 of the display color as the colorof the inconsistent region and the color of the consistent region.

With reference to FIG. 10 again, the preview image generating unitgenerates the preview image based on the clear toner plane data α whenthe total amount controlling process is not applied to the clear tonerplane data and based on the clear toner plane data β when the totalamount controlling process is applied to the clear toner plane data.

The MIC 60 outputs device configuration information indicating a deviceconfiguration equipped as the post processing unit to the DFE 50. TheMIC 60 is connected to the DFE 50 and the printer 70, receives the colorplane data and the clear toner plane data from the DFE 50 to distributeeach image data to a corresponding device, and controls the postprocessing unit. More specifically, the MIC 60 outputs the CMYK colorplane data out of the image data output from the DFE 50 to the printer70, also outputs the clear toner plane data used by the printer 70 tothe printer 70 if this is present, turns on or off the glosser 80 byusing the on/off information output from the DFE 50, and outputs theclear toner plane data used by the low-temperature fixing unit 90 to thelow-temperature fixing unit 90 if this is present. The glosser 80 mayswitch a path on which the fixing is performed and the path on whichthis is not performed by the on/off information. The low-temperaturefixing unit 90 may switch on or off and switch the paths as in theglosser 80 depending on presence of the clear toner plane data.

Also, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the printing device 30 composed of theprinter 70, the glosser 80, and the low-temperature fixing unit 90 isprovided with a conveying path 20 to convey the paper, which is therecording medium. Meanwhile, in detail, the printer 70 is provided witha plurality of electrophotographic photosensitive drums 71B, a transferbelt 71C on which the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 71Bis transferred, a transfer device 71D to transfer the toner image on thetransfer belt 71C to the paper, and a fixing unit 71A to fix the tonerimage on the paper to the paper. The paper is conveyed on the conveyingpath 20 by a conveying member not illustrated to be conveyed throughpositions of the printer 70, the glosser 80, and the low-temperaturefixing unit 90 in this order. Then, after the image is formed and thesurface effect is applied by the processes sequentially performed by thedevices, the paper is conveyed on the conveying path by a conveyingmechanism not illustrated to be discharged out of the printing device30.

Next, a display process by the DFE 50 configured as described above isdescribed. FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of ajob selection screen. First, the control unit 503 displays the jobselection screen illustrated in FIG. 15 on the display device 502. Then,the user selects a desired job by checking a desired check box from thejob selection screen and further selects whether to “print” or “preview”from the menu screen. When the “print” is selected, a printing processof the image data specified by the selected job is executed and when the“preview” is selected, a preview display process of the image dataspecified by the selected job is executed.

FIG. 16 is an illustrative diagram schematically illustrating an entireflow of the display process. FIGS. 17 and 18 are flowcharts illustratinga procedure of the display process. When the DFE 50 receives the imagedata (refer to FIG. 8) from the host device 10 (step S1), the receivedimage data is temporarily stored in the HDD 505. The input unit 521reads the image data from the HDD 505 and stores the same in the RAM560. Then, the converting unit 531 performs the linguisticinterpretation of the image data in the RAM 560 to convert the imagedata represented in the vector format to the raster format and convertsthe color space represented in the RGB format to the color space in theCMYK format, thereby obtaining the eight-bit color plane data of each ofCMYK and the eight-bit gloss control plane data (step S2).

In the converting process, the gloss control plane data in FIG. 4, thatis to say, the gloss control plane data in which the density value tospecify the surface effect is specified for each drawing object asillustrated in FIG. 7 is converted to the gloss control plane data inwhich the density value is specified for each pixel composing thedrawing object.

That is to say, the converting unit 531 applies the density value setfor the drawing object to the pixel in the range of the coordinatecorresponding to the drawing object of the gloss control plane dataillustrated in FIG. 7, thereby converting the gloss control plane data.According to this, the gloss control plane data is converted to thegloss control plane data in which the surface effect is set for eachpixel.

When the eight-bit gloss control plane data is output, the calibrationunit 541 of the DFE 50 performs the gamma correction to the eight-bitcolor plane data of each of CMYK by using the gamma curve of 1D_LUTgenerated by the calibration and the halftone screening processing unit522 performs a halftone process to convert the image data after thegamma correction to the data format of the two-bit color plane data ofeach of CMYK to output to the printer 70, thereby obtaining the two-bitcolor plane data of each of CMYK after the halftone process (step S3).

Also, the clear toner plane generating unit 532 of the DFE 50 determinesthe surface effect specified for each pixel value indicated by the glosscontrol plane data with reference to the above-described surface effectselection table by using the eight-bit gloss control plane data. Then,the clear toner plane generating unit 532 determines in this manner forall the pixels composing the gloss control plane data. Meanwhile, thedensity value of the same range is basically indicated for all thepixels composing the region to which each surface effect is applied inthe gloss control plane data. Therefore, the clear toner planegenerating unit 532 determines that the pixel in the vicinity determinedto have the same surface effect is included in the region to which thesame surface effect is applied. In this manner, the clear toner planegenerating unit 532 determines the region to which the surface effect isapplied and the type of the surface effect applied to the region. Then,the clear toner plane generating unit 532 decides to turn on or off theglosser 80 according to the determination (step S4).

Next, the clear toner plane generating unit 532 of the DEE 50appropriately generates the eight-bit clear toner plane data to attachthe clear toner by appropriately using the eight-bit color plane data ofeach of CMYK after the gamma correction (step S5).

Next, the total amount control unit 542 determines whether the totalamount controlling process is required for the clear toner plane databased on the sum of the density values of the pixels of the color planedata and the clear plane data composing the clear toner plane data (stepS6). Then, the total amount control unit 542 determines whether thetotal amount controlling process is required by determining whether thesum of the density values of the pixels of the color plane data and theclear plane data composing the clear toner plane data is not smallerthan a predetermined value, for example.

When the sum of the density values of the pixels of the color plane dataand the clear plane data composing the clear toner plane data is notsmaller than a predetermined value and the like and when it isdetermined that the total amount controlling process is required (stepS6: Yes), the total amount control unit 542 applies the above-describedtotal amount controlling process to the clear toner plane data α (thatis to say, the color plane data and the clear plane data composing theclear toner plane data α) to generate the clear toner plane data β (stepS7).

On the other hand, when the sum of the density values of the pixels ofthe color plane data and the clear plane data composing the clear tonerplane data is smaller than a predetermined value and the like and whenit is determined that the total amount controlling process is notrequired at step S6 (step S6: No), the total amount controlling processat step S7 is not performed. In this case, the clear toner plane data αis handled as the clear toner plane data β.

Next, the control unit 503 determines the selection of the user input inthe menu screen on the job selection screen illustrated in FIG. 15 (stepS8). When the user selects to “print” in the menu screen (step S8:printing), the halftone screening processing unit 522 converts the 8-bitclear toner plane data β obtained by using the eight-bit image data tothe two-bit clear toner plane data by the halftone process (step S9).

Next, the print data transmitting unit 550 of the DFE 50 integrates thetwo-bit color plane data of each of CMYK after the halftone processobtained at step S3 and the two-bit clear toner plane data generated atstep S9 and outputs the integrated image data and the on/off informationindicating on or off of the glosser 80 decided at step S4 to the MIC 60(step S10).

Meanwhile, when the clear toner plane generating unit 532 does notgenerate the clear toner plane data at step S5, only the two-bit colorplane data of each of CMYK after the halftone process obtained at stepS3 are integrated to be output to the MIC 60 at step S10.

At step 38, when the user selects to “preview” in the menu screen (step38: preview), the preview image generating unit 506 generates thepreview image obtained by converting the clear toner plane data to RGB(step S11). Then, the control unit 503 displays the generated previewimage on the display device 502 (step S12).

FIG. 19 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of a previewscreen before printing displayed on the display device 502. Asillustrated in FIG. 19, a page turn button 1401 and a total amountcontrol confirmation button 1402 are displayed on the preview screen inaddition to the preview image 1403. The page turn button 1401 is thebutton pressed by the user to turn the page when the preview image has aplurality of pages.

The total amount control confirmation button 1402 is the button pressedby the user to confirm/display whether the effect by the clear toner isnot reduced as a result of the total amount controlling process when thetotal amount controlling process is applied.

With reference to FIG. 18 again, when the preview screen is displayed,the control unit 503 determines whether the total amount controlconfirmation button 1402 is pressed by event notification and the like(step S13). When the total amount control confirmation button 1402 isnot pressed for a certain period of time (step S13: No), the process isfinished.

On the other hand, when the total amount control confirmation button1402 is pressed (step S13: Yes), the determining unit 513 determineswhether the total amount controlling process is applied to the cleartoner plane data (step S14). Specifically, the determining unit 513determines whether the total amount controlling process is applied bythe sum of the density values of the clear toner plane data. When it isdetermined that the total amount controlling process is not applied tothe clear toner plane data (step S14: No), the process is finished.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the total amountcontrolling process is applied to the clear toner plane data (step S14:Yes), the clear toner plane comparing unit 510 performs a comparingprocess of the clear toner plane data α before the total amountcontrolling process and the clear toner plane data α after the totalamount controlling process (step S15).

Herein, the comparing process of the clear toner plane data is describedin detail. FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of thecomparing process of the clear toner plane data. First, the differencecalculating unit 512 reads the value of the same density range set bythe setting unit 504 from the HDD 505 and sets the same to K (step S21).Next, the difference calculating unit 512 picks the clear toner planedata α one pixel at a time and performs processes at steps S23 to S32hereinafter described for each pixel while sequentially incrementing thepixel position i from 1 and repeats this by the number of the pixels(step S22).

That is to say, the difference calculating unit 512 sets the density ofthe pixel in the position i of the clear toner plane data α before thetotal amount controlling process to A[i] and sets the density of thepixel in the position i of the clear toner plane data β after the totalamount controlling process to B[i] (step S23).

Then, the difference calculating unit 512 calculates a difference|A[i]−B[i]| between the density A[i] of the pixel in the position i ofthe clear toner plane data α and the density B[i] of the pixel in theposition i of the clear toner plane data β. Then, the extracting unit511 determines whether the difference |A[i]−B[i]| is not smaller thanthe value of the same density range K (step S24). When the difference|A[i]−B[i] | is smaller than the value of the same density range K (stepS24: No), i is incremented (step S32) and the process returns back tostep S23.

On the other hand, when the difference |A[i]−B[i]| is not smaller thanthe value of the same density range K at step S24 (step S24: Yes), theextracting unit 511 sets comparison result data C[i] to 1 (step S25) andfurther sets the difference |A[i]−B[i]| in the pixel position i in adifference information table (step S26). Then, the extracting unit 511extracts the density value of the surface effect in the pixel position ifrom the gloss control plane data and sets the extracted density valueof the surface effect to E[i] (step S27).

Next, the extracting unit 511 determines whether the extracted densityvalue of the surface effect is larger than 0 (step S29). When thedensity value of the surface effect is larger than 0 (step S29: Yes),this determines that the surface effect is set, that is to say, thedensity value of the surface effect of not the clear plane data but thegloss control plane data is used in the pixel position and sets theextracted density value of the surface effect in the pixel position iand the surface effect “gloss control plane” in the differenceinformation table (step S30). Meanwhile, the difference informationtable is generated in the RAM 560.

On the other hand, when the density value of the surface effect is notlarger than 0 at step S29 (step S29: No), the extracting unit 511determines that the surface effect is not set, that is to say, thedensity value of not the gloss control plane data but the clear planedata is used in the pixel position i and this extracts the density valuein the pixel position i from the clear plane data and sets the extracteddensity value and the surface effect “clear plane” in the differenceinformation table (step S31). Then, this increments i (step S32) andreturns back to step S23.

The extracting unit 511 repeatedly executes the above-describedprocesses at steps S23 to S32 for every pixel of the clear toner planedata. According to this, the comparison result between the clear tonerplane data α and the clear toner plane data β is registered in thedifference information table. That is to say, the difference informationtable is the data obtained by extracting a range of the pixels havingthe difference not smaller than the value of the same density range bythe comparison result between the clear toner plane data α and the cleartoner plane data β.

FIG. 21 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of thedifference information table. As illustrated in FIG. 20, the pixelposition of the pixel in which |A[i]−B[i]| is not smaller than the valueof the same density range K, the surface effect, the density value, andthe difference |A[i]−B[i]| are registered in the difference informationtable in units of one record. The region of the pixels indicated by suchdifference information table is the inconsistent region. That is to say,by the comparing process of the clear toner plane data, the inconsistentregion in which the difference |A[i]−B[i]| of the density value betweenthe clear toner plane data α and the clear toner plane data α is notsmaller than the value of the same density range K, in other words, theinconsistent region in which the effect by the clear toner cannot beobtained as expected is extracted.

Next, with reference to FIG. 18 again, when the inconsistent region isextracted by the comparing process of the clear toner plane data (stepS15), the operating/display unit 500 performs a total amount controlconfirmation display process (step S16) and finishes the process.

Next, the total amount control confirmation display process at step S16is described in detail. FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating a procedureof the total amount control confirmation display process. First, thepreview image generating unit 506 converts an entire region of thepreview image to the display color of the consistent region (step S41).

Next, the preview image generating unit 506 reads the record registeredin the difference information table in the RAM 560 (step S42). Then, thepreview image generating unit 506 converts the pixel in the pixelposition to the display color of the inconsistent region in the previewimage (step S43).

Then, the preview image generating unit 506 repeatedly executes theprocesses at steps S42 and S43 for all the records registered in thedifference information table (step S44, S44: Yes). When the processes atsteps S42 and S43 are completed for all the records registered in thedifference information table (step S44: No), the control unit 503displays the preview image in which the inconsistent region and theconsistent region are converted to respective display colors on thedisplay device 502 (step S45). According to this, the preview image inwhich the total amount control confirmation display is performed isdisplayed.

FIG. 23 is an illustrative diagram illustrating an example of thepreview screen on which the preview image in which the total amountcontrol confirmation display is performed is displayed. In FIG. 23, awhite color portion of the display color represented by a referencenumeral 1501 is the inconsistent region and the other region is theconsistent region displayed in the display color of the consistentregion.

In the preview screen, when a clear toner plane comparison settingbutton 1504 is pressed, the above-described clear toner plane comparisonsetting screen illustrated in FIG. 13 is displayed and it becomespossible to specify the value of the same density range and the displaycolors of the inconsistent region and the consistent region.

When the user indicates (hovers the mouse over) the inconsistent regionby a mouse pointer of the input device 501 on the preview screen in FIG.23, the control unit 503 performs detailed display of the inconsistentregion in a display frame 1503 (step S46).

FIG. 24 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a detailed displayprocess. When the control unit 503 detects that the mouse pointer is onthe preview image (step S51), this clears a content in the display frame1503 (step S52). Then, the control unit 503 extracts the image positionon the preview image with respect to the position of the mouse pointer(step S53).

Then, the control unit 503 checks whether an extracted image position(X, Y) is present in the difference information table (step S54). Whenthe extracted image position (X, Y) is not present in the differenceinformation table (step S54: No), the process is finished.

On the other hand, when the extracted image position (X, Y) is presentin the difference information table (step S54: Yes), the record of a rowof the image position (X, Y) is extracted and the extracted record isset to K (step S55). Then, the control unit 503 extracts the surfaceeffect of the extracted row K and sets the same to E (step S55).

Then, the control unit 503 extracts the density value of the row K fromthe difference information table and sets the same to N (step S57).Then, the control unit 503 checks whether E is the “gloss control plane”(step S58). When E is the “gloss control plane” (step S58: Yes), thecontrol unit 503 extracts the name of the surface effect correspondingto the density value N from the surface effect selection table (refer toFIG. 11) and displays the same in the display frame 1503 (step S60).

On the other hand, when E is not the “gloss control plane” at step S58(step S58: No), the control unit 503 displays “clear drawing” in thedisplay frame 1503 as the name of the surface effect (step S59).

Then, the control unit 503 displays the fact that there is thedifference in density and the value of the density difference in the Krow in the display frame 1503 (step S61). According to this, detailedinformation of the inconsistent region is displayed in the display frame1503.

In this manner, since the DFE 50 of this embodiment compares the cleartoner plane data α before the total amount control and the clear tonerplane data β after the total amount controlling process, extracts theinconsistent region composed of the pixels in which the difference inthe density value is not smaller than the value of the same densityrange to display, it is possible to allow the user to grasp the portionin which the effect by the clear toner cannot be obtained due to thetotal amount controlling process of the toner in a pixel level beforeexecuting the printing, thereby easily obtaining a printed matter of adesired effect by the clear toner while maintaining the printing qualitywithout an excessive system configuration.

Second Embodiment

Although the DFE 50 performs the comparing process of the clear tonerplane data and the preview image generating process in the firstembodiment, there is no limitation.

That is to say, it is also possible to configure such that any of aplurality of processes performed by one device is performed by one ormore other devices connected to the one device via a network.

As an example, an image forming system of a second embodiment isequipped with a part of functions of a DFE on a server device on thenetwork.

FIG. 25 is a view illustrating a configuration of the image formingsystem according to the second embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 25,the image forming system of this embodiment is provided with a hostdevice 3010, a DFE 3050, a MIC 60, a printer 70, a glosser 80, alow-temperature fixing unit 90, and a server device 3060 on a cloud.Post processing devices such as the glosser 80 and the low-temperaturefixing unit 90 are not limited thereto.

In this embodiment, it is configured such that the host device 3010 andthe DFE 3050 are connected to the server device 3060 via the networksuch as the Internet. Also, in this embodiment, it is configured suchthat the clear toner plane comparing unit, the preview image generatingunit, and the setting unit of the DFE 50 of the first embodiment areprovided on the server device 3060.

Herein, a function and a configuration of the host device 3010 aresimilar to those of the host device 10 of the first embodiment. Aconnecting configuration of the host device 3010, the DFE 3050, the MIC60, the printer 70, the glosser 80, and the low-temperature fixing unit90 is similar to that of the first embodiment.

That is to say, specifically, it is configured such that the host device3010 and the DFE 3050 are connected to a single server device 3060 viathe network (cloud) such as the Internet, a clear toner plane comparingunit 2510, a preview image generating unit 2506, and a setting unit 2504are provided on the server device 3060, and the comparing process of theclear toner plane data before and after a total amount controllingprocess and the generating process of a preview image are performed bythe server device 3060 in the second embodiment.

Next, the server device 3060 is described. FIG. 26 is a block diagramillustrating a functional configuration of the server device 3060according to the second embodiment. The server device 3060 isprincipally provided with a communication unit 2503, the setting unit2504, the preview image generating unit 2506, the clear toner planecomparing unit 2510, a HDD 2505, and a RAM 2560 as illustrated in FIG.26.

The communication unit 2503 controls transmission and reception ofvarious data with the host device 3010 and the DFE 3050. In thisembodiment, the communication unit 2503 receives clear toner plane dataα before the total amount controlling process is applied and clear tonerplane data β after the total amount controlling process is applied fromthe DFE 3050. The communication unit 2503 also transmits the previewimage generated by the preview image generating unit 2506 to the DFE3050.

The setting unit 2504 transmits a clear toner plane comparison settingscreen to the DFE 3050 through the communication unit 2503 and allows adisplay device 502 of the DFE 3050 to display the clear toner planecomparison setting screen. The setting unit 504 receives input events ofa value of a same density range described above, specification of acolor as a display form of an inconsistent region, and the specificationof the color as the display form of a consistent region by a user fromthe clear toner plane comparison setting screen through thecommunication unit 2503 and sets the value of the same density range,the color specification of the inconsistent region, and the colorspecification of the consistent region, which are received, by storingthem in the HDD 3505. Herein, the clear toner plane comparison settingscreen is similar to that of the first embodiment.

The clear toner plane comparing unit 2510 compares the clear toner planedata α before the total amount controlling process is applied and theclear toner plane data β after the total amount controlling process isapplied received by the communication unit 2503. The clear toner planecomparing unit 2510 is provided with a determining unit 513, adifference calculating unit 512, and an extracting unit 511 asillustrated in FIG. 26. A function of each unit is similar to that ofeach unit of the clear toner plane comparing unit 510 of the DFE 50 ofthe first embodiment.

Next, the DFE 3050 is described. FIG. 27 is a block diagram illustratinga functional configuration of the DFE 3050 of the second embodiment. TheDFE 3050 of this embodiment is provided with an operating/display unit2600, a data processing unit 520, and a print data transmitting unit550.

The operating/display unit 2600 is provided with an input device 501,the display device 502, and a control unit 503 as illustrated in FIG. 27and each unit has a function similar to that of each unit of the DFE 50of the first embodiment. In other words, the operating/display unit 2600of this embodiment has a configuration obtained by removing the previewimage generating unit, the clear toner plane comparing unit, the settingunit, the HDD, and the RAM from the operating/display unit 500 of thefirst embodiment.

The data processing unit 520 has a function and a configuration similarto those of the data processing unit 520 of the DFE 50 of the firstembodiment. The print data transmitting unit 550 also has a function anda configuration similar to those of the print data transmitting unit 550of the DFE 50 of the first embodiment.

Next, a clear toner plane generating process by the image forming systemaccording to this embodiment configured in the above-described manner isdescribed. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, print data isgenerated by the host device 3010 and the print data is transmitted tothe DFE 3050. Then, in the DFE 3050, as in the first embodiment, theprint data is received and processes at steps S1 to S10 illustrated inFIG. 17 are performed, and according to this, the clear toner plane datais generated, the total amount controlling process is applied to theclear toner plane data, and image data obtained by integrating colorplane data and the clear toner plane data is generated to be output tothe MIC 60.

Herein, a case in which the user issues an instruction of previewdisplay at step S8 is described. At step S8, when the user selects“preview” in a menu screen (step S8: preview), the DFE 3050 transmitsthe clear toner plane data α before the total amount controlling processis applied and the clear toner plane data β after the total amountcontrolling process is applied to the server device 3060.

FIG. 28 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a display process ofthe preview image by the server device 3060 of the second embodiment. InFIG. 28, the procedure of the process at a server device 3060 when theuser issues the instruction of the preview display at step S8 in FIG. 17is illustrated.

The communication unit 2503 of the server device 3060 receives the cleartoner plane data α before the total amount controlling process isapplied and the clear toner plane data β after the total amountcontrolling process is applied from the DFE 3050 (step S2801). Then, thepreview image generating unit 2506 generates the preview image obtainedby converting the clear toner plane data to RGB (step S11). Then, thecommunication unit 2503 transmits the generated preview image to the DFE3050 and issues the instruction to display (step S2812). According tothis, the preview image is displayed on the display device 502 of theDFE 3050.

Herein, a displayed preview screen before printing is similar to that inan example of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19.

When the preview screen is displayed by the DFE 3050, the communicationunit 2503 determines whether a pressing event of a total amount controlconfirmation button 1402 in the preview screen is received from the DFE3050 (step S2813). When the total amount control confirmation button1402 is not pressed while a certain period of time (step S2813: No), theprocess is finished.

On the other hand, when the pressing event of the total amount controlconfirmation button 1402 is received (step S2813: Yes), the determiningunit 513 determines whether the total amount controlling process isapplied to the clear toner plane data (step S14). Specifically, thedetermining unit 513 determines whether the total amount controllingprocess is applied by a sum of density values of the clear toner planedata. When it is determined that the total amount controlling process isnot applied to the clear toner plane data (step S14: No), the process isfinished.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the total amountcontrolling process is applied to the clear toner plane data (step S14:Yes), the clear toner plane comparing unit 510 performs the comparingprocess of the clear toner plane data α before the total amountcontrolling process and the clear toner plane data β after the totalamount controlling process (step S15). Herein, the comparing process ofthe clear toner plane is performed as in the comparing process of theclear toner plane of the first embodiment described with reference toFIG. 20.

Thereafter, the server device 3060 performs a total amount controlconfirmation display process (step S16) and finishes the process.

Next, the total amount control confirmation display process at step S16is described in detail. FIG. 29 is a flowchart illustrating a procedureof the total amount control confirmation display process. Processes atS41 to S44 are performed as in the total amount control confirmationdisplay process by the DFE 50 of the first embodiment (FIG. 22).

When the processes at steps S42 and S43 are completed for all recordsregistered in a difference information table (step S44: No), thecommunication unit 2503 transmits the preview image in which theinconsistent region and the consistent region are converted torespective display colors to the DFE 3050 and issues the instruction todisplay (step S2945). According to this, the preview image in whichtotal amount control confirmation display is performed is displayed onthe display device 502 of the DFE 3050. Herein, an example of thepreview screen in which the preview image in which the total amountcontrol confirmation display is performed is displayed is similar to thescreen of the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 23.

When the user instructs (hovers a mouse over) the inconsistent region bya mouse pointer of the input device 501 in the preview screen, thecommunication unit 2503 receives the event and performs detailed displayof the inconsistent region in a display frame 1503 (step S46).

FIG. 30 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a detailed displayprocess by the server device 3060 of the second embodiment. When thecommunication unit 2503 receives detection notification indicating thatthe mouse pointer is on the preview image from the DFE 3050 (stepS3051), this transmits an instruction to clear a content of the displayframe 1503 to the DFE 3050 (step S3052). According to this, the contentin the display frame 1503 of the preview screen is cleared in thedisplay device 502 of the DFE 3050. Then, the communication unit 2503extracts an image position on the preview image with respect to aposition of the mouse pointer (step S53). Subsequent processes at stepsS54 to S58 are performed as in the detailed display process executed bythe DEE 50 of the first embodiment (FIG. 24).

When E is a “gloss control plane” at step S58 (step S58: Yes), thecontrol unit 503 extracts a name of a surface effect corresponding to adensity value N from a surface effect selection table (refer to FIG. 11)and transmits the same to the DFE 3050 to issue the display instruction(step S3060). According to this, the name of the surface effect isdisplayed in the display frame 1503 of the preview screen in the displaydevice 502 of the DFE 3050.

On the other hand, when E is not the “gloss control plane” at step S58(step S58: No), the communication unit 2503 transmits “clear drawing” asthe name of the surface effect to the DFE 3050 and issues the displayinstruction (step S3059). According to this, in the display device 502of the DFE 3050, the “clear drawing” is displayed as the name of thesurface effect in the display frame 1503 of the preview screen.

Then, the communication unit 2503 transmits the fact that there is adifference in the density and a value of the density difference in a Krow to the DFE 3050 and issues the display instruction (step S3060).According to this, in the display device 502 of the DFE 3050, thedetailed information of the inconsistent region is displayed in thedisplay frame 1503.

Subsequent processes in the DEE 3050, the MIC 60, the printer 70, theglosser 80, and the low-temperature fixing unit 90 are performed as inthe first embodiment.

In this manner, the comparing process of the clear toner plane data andthe preview image generating process are performed by the server device3060 on the cloud in this embodiment, so that, in addition to the effectof the first embodiment, it is possible to collectively perform thecomparing process of the clear toner plane data and the preview imagegenerating process even when there are a plurality of DFEs 3050 and thisis convenient for the user and an administrator.

Meanwhile, although it is configured such that the setting unit 2504,the preview image generating unit 2506, and the clear toner planecomparing unit 2510 are provided on the single server device 3060 on thecloud and the comparing process of the clear toner plane data and thegenerating process of the preview image are performed at a server device3060 in this embodiment, there is no limitation.

For example, it is also possible to configure such that two or moreserver devices are provided on the cloud and the above-describedprocesses are distributed to the two or more server devices to beexecuted. FIG. 31 is a network configuration diagram in which twoservers (a first server device 3860 and a second server device 3861) areprovided on the cloud. In an example in FIG. 31, it is configured suchthat the comparing process of the clear toner plane data and thegenerating process of the preview image are distributed to the firstserver device 3860 and the second server device 3861 to be performed.For example, it is possible to configure such that the first serverdevice 3860 is provided with the clear toner plane comparing unit toperform the comparing process of the clear toner plane data and thesecond server device 3861 is provided with the preview image generatingunit to perform the generating process of the preview image. Meanwhile,a mode of distributing the processes to the server devices is notlimited thereto and this may be optionally performed.

That is to say, it is possible to optionally collectively provide a partor all of the units composing the setting unit 2504, the preview imagegenerating unit 2506, the clear toner plane comparing unit 2510, and thedata processing unit 520 on one server device on the cloud or distributethem on a plurality of server device as long as if a minimumconfiguration such as the input device 501 and the display device 502 isprovided on the DFE 3050.

In other words, it is possible to configure such that any of a pluralityof processes performed by the one device is performed by one or moreother devices connected to the one device via the network as in theabove-described example.

Also, in the above-described case of the “configuration to perform byone or more other devices connected to the one device via the network”,it is configured to include an input/output process of the dataperformed between the one device and the other device and furtherbetween the other devices such as a process to output the data(information) generated by the process performed by the one device fromthe one device to the other device and a process to input the data bythe other device.

That is to say, when the number of other device is one, it is configuredto include the input/output process of the data performed between theone device and the other device, and when the number of other devices istwo or larger, it is configured to include the input/output process ofthe data between the one device and the other device and between theother devices such as between a first other device and a second otherdevice.

Although the server device 3060 or a plurality of server devices such asthe first server device 3860 and the second server device 3861 areprovided on the cloud in the second embodiment, the server device is notlimited thereto. For example, it is also possible to configure such thatthe server device 3060 or a plurality of server devices such as thefirst server device 3860 and the second server device 3861 are providedon any network such as an intranet.

A hardware configuration of the host devices 10 and 3010, the DFEs 50and 3050, the server device 3060, the first server device 3860, and thesecond server device 3861 of the above-described embodiments isdescribed. FIG. 32 is a hardware configuration diagram of the hostdevices 10 and 3010, the DFEs 50 and 3050, and the server device 3060.The host devices 10 and 3010, the DFEs 50 and 3050, the server device3060, the first server device 3860, and the second server device 3861are principally provided with a control device 2901 such as a CPU tocontrol an entire device, a main storage unit 2902 such as a ROM and aRAM to store various data and various programs, an auxiliary storageunit 2903 such as a HOD to store the various data and the variousprograms, an input device 2905 such as a keyboard and a mouse, and adisplay device 2904 such as a display device as the hardwareconfiguration, and has the hardware configuration using a regularcomputer.

Various processing programs (including an image processing application,the same shall apply hereinafter) executed by the host devices 10 and3010 of the above-described embodiments are recorded in acomputer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a flexible disk(FD), a CD-R, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) as a file in an installableformat or an executable format to be provided as a computer programproduct.

It is also possible to configure to store the various processingprograms executed by the host devices 10 and 3010 of the above-describedembodiments on the computer connected to the network such as theInternet and download the same via the network to provide. It is alsopossible to configure to provide or distribute the various processingprograms executed by the host device 10 of the above-describedembodiment via the network such as the Internet.

It is also possible to configure to incorporate the various processingprograms executed by the host devices 10 and 3010 of the above-describedembodiments in advance in the ROM and the like to provide.

The various processing programs executed by the host devices 10 and 3010of the above-described embodiments have a module configuration includingeach processing unit, and as actual hardware, the CPU (processor) readsthe various processing programs from the above-described storage mediumto execute, thereby loading each processing unit on the main storageunit to generate on the main storage unit.

Also, the various processes executed by the DFEs 50 and 3050 of theabove-described embodiments may be realized by the various processingprograms as software in addition to be realized by the hardware. In thiscase, the various processing programs executed by the DFEs 50 and 3050of the above-described embodiments are incorporated in advance in theROM and the like to be provided.

It is also possible to configure such that the various processingprograms executed by the DFEs 50 and 3050 of the above-describedembodiments are recorded in the computer-readable recording medium suchas the CD-ROM, the flexible disk (FD), the CD-R, the DVD (DigitalVersatile Disk) as the file in the installable format or the executableformat to be provided as the computer program product.

Further, it is also possible to configure to store the variousprocessing programs executed by the DFEs 50 and 3050 of theabove-described embodiments on the computer connected to the networksuch as the Internet and download them via the network to provide. It isalso possible to configure to provide or distribute the variousprocessing programs executed by the DFE 50 of the above-describedembodiment via the network such as the Internet.

The various processing programs executed by the DFEs 50 and 3050 of theabove-described embodiments have the module configuration including eachunit described above, and as the actual hardware, the CPU (processor)reads a print control program from the ROM to execute, thereby loadingeach unit described above on the main storage unit to generate on themain storage unit.

Also, the various processes executed by the server device 3060 of theabove-described embodiment may be realized by the various processingprograms as software in addition to be realized by the hardware. In thiscase, the various processing programs executed by the server device 3060of the above-described embodiment are incorporated in advance in the ROMand the like to be provided.

It is possible to configure such that the various processing programsexecuted by the server device 3060 of the above-described embodiment isrecorded in the computer-readable recording medium such as the CD-ROM,the flexible disk (FD), the CD-R, the DVD (Digital Versatile Disk) asthe file in the installable format or the executable format to beprovided as the computer program product.

Further, it is also possible to configure to store the variousprocessing programs executed by the server device 3060 of theabove-described embodiment on the computer connected to the network suchas the Internet and download them via the network to provide. It is alsopossible to configure to provide or distribute the various processingprograms executed by the server device 3060 of the above-describedembodiment via the network such as the Internet.

The various processing programs executed by the above-described serverdevice 3060 have the module configuration including each unit describedabove, and as the actual hardware, the CPU (processor) reads agenerating program from the above-described ROM to execute, therebyloading each unit described above on the main storage unit to generateon the main storage unit.

Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiments; components may be modified to be embodied without departingfrom the spirits thereof in an implementation phase. Also, variousinventions may be made by appropriate combination of a plurality ofcomponents disclosed in the embodiments. For example, some componentsmay be deleted from all the components described in the embodiments.Further, it is also possible to appropriately combine the components indifferent embodiments. Also, various modifications as illustratedhereinafter are available.

Although the image forming system is configured to be provided with thehost devices 10 and 3010, the DFEs 50 and 3050, the MIC 60, the printer70, the glosser 80, and the low-temperature fixing unit 90 in theabove-described embodiments, there is no limitation. For example, it isalso possible to integrally form the DFEs 50 and 3050, the MIC 60, andthe printer 70 into one image forming device and to form as the imageforming device further provided with the glosser 80 and thelow-temperature fixing unit 90.

Although the image forming system of the above-described embodimentsforms the image by using toners of a plurality of colors of CMYK, it isalso possible to form the image by using the toner of one color.

Meanwhile, although a printer system of the above-described embodimentsis provided with the MIC 60, the printer system is not limited thereto.It is also possible to configure such that another device such as theDFE 50 is provided with the process and the function performed by theabove-described MIC 60 and the MIC 60 is not provided.

Meanwhile, the present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiments; the components may be modified to be embodied withoutdeparting from the spirits thereof in the implementation phase. Also,the various inventions may be made by the appropriate combination of aplurality of components disclosed in the embodiments. For example, somecomponents may be deleted from all the components described in theembodiments. Further, it is also possible to appropriately combine thecomponents in different embodiments. Also, various modifications asillustrated hereinafter are available.

Although the image forming system is configured to be provided with thehost device 10, the DFE 50, the MIC 60, the printer 70, the glosser 80,and the low-temperature fixing unit 90 in the above-describedembodiment, the image forming system is not limited thereto. Forexample, it is also possible to integrally form the DFE 50, the MIC 60,and the printer 70 into one image forming device and to form as theimage forming device further provided with the glosser 80 and thelow-temperature fixing unit 90.

Although the image forming system of the above-described embodimentsforms the image by using the toners of a plurality of colors of CMYK, itis also possible to form the image by using the toner of one color.

Meanwhile, although the printer system of the above-describedembodiments is provided with the MIC 60, the printer system is notlimited thereto. It is also possible to configure such that anotherdevice such as the DFE 50 is provided with the process and the functionperformed by the above-described MIC 60 and the MIC 60 is not provided.

Although it is configured such that the DFE 50 performs the displayprocess of the preview image in this embodiment, there is no limitationand it is also possible to configure to realize the display process ofthe preview image by the image system composed of a plurality ofdevices.

The embodiment has the effect of allowing the user to grasp the portionin which the effect by the clear toner cannot be obtained due to thetotal amount controlling process of the toner in the pixel level beforethe printing is executed, thereby easily obtaining the printed matterwith the desired effect by the clear toner while maintaining theprinting quality without the excessive system configuration.

Although the invention has been described with respect to specificembodiments for a complete and clear disclosure, the appended claims arenot to be thus limited but are to be construed as embodying allmodifications and alternative constructions that may occur to oneskilled in the art that fairly fall within the basic teaching herein setforth.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus connected toa printing device that is equipped with a colored color toner and acolorless clear toner and forms an image on a recording medium based oncolor plane data to attach the color toner and clear toner plane data toattach the clear toner, the information processing apparatus comprising:a total amount control unit that applies a total amount controllingprocess to the color plane data and clear plane data in which a densityvalue to specify a transparent image by the clear toner is specified, toperform correction such that a sum of density values of all pixelscomposing the color plane data and the clear plane data becomes notlarger than a certain value in a predetermined case; a clear toner planegenerating unit that generates the clear toner plane data based on glosscontrol plane data in which a type of a surface effect, which is avisual or tactile effect to be applied to the recording medium, and thedensity value to specify a region in the recording medium to which thesurface effect is applied are specified, the clear plane data, and thecolor plane data; a determining unit that determines whether the totalamount controlling process is applied to the clear plane data of theclear toner plane data and the color plane data; a differencecalculating unit that calculates a difference between the density valueof a pixel of the clear toner plane data and the density value of thepixel of the clear toner plane data to which the total amountcontrolling process is applied, for each pixel, when the total amountcontrolling process is applied to the clear plane data of the cleartoner plane data and the color plane data; an extracting unit thatextracts an inconsistent region composed of a pixel in which thedifference is not smaller than a predetermined threshold; and a displayunit that displays the inconsistent region.
 2. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the differencecalculating unit calculates a difference between the density value ofthe surface effect of a pixel of the clear toner plane data and thedensity value of the surface effect of the pixel of the clear tonerplane data to which the total amount controlling process is applied, foreach pixel.
 3. The information processing apparatus according to claim1, wherein the difference calculating unit calculates a differencebetween the density value of a pixel of the transparent image of theclear toner plane data and the density value of the pixel of thetransparent image of the clear toner plane data to which the totalamount controlling process is applied, for each pixel.
 4. Theinformation processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein thedisplay unit displays the inconsistent region in a display formdifferent from a display form of a consistent region which is a regionother than the inconsistent region.
 5. The information processingapparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a setting unit thataccepts specification of the threshold and the display form of theinconsistent region from a user, wherein the display unit displays theinconsistent region in the specified display form.
 6. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display form is aspecified color.
 7. The information processing apparatus according toclaim 1, further comprising a preview image generating unit thatgenerates a preview image, which is an image obtained by estimating aprint result, based on the clear toner plane data to which the totalamount controlling process is applied, wherein the display unit displaysthe preview image and displays the inconsistent region on the previewimage.
 8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 7,further comprising an input unit that accepts an operation input from auser on the preview image displayed on the display unit, wherein thedisplay unit further displays the surface effect in the inconsistentregion and the difference value when a position of the operation inputis included in the inconsistent region.
 9. An information processingsystem connected to a printing device that is equipped with a coloredcolor toner and a colorless clear toner and forms an image on arecording medium based on color plane data to attach the color toner andclear toner plane data to attach the clear toner, the informationprocessing system comprising: a total amount control unit that applies atotal amount controlling process to the color plane data and clear planedata in which a density value to specify a transparent image by theclear toner is specified, to perform correction such that a sum ofdensity values of all pixels composing the color plane data and theclear plane data becomes not larger than a certain value in apredetermined case; a clear toner plane generating unit that generatesthe clear toner plane data based on gloss control plane data in which atype of a surface effect, which is a visual or tactile effect to beapplied to the recording medium, and the density value to specify aregion in the recording medium to which the surface effect is appliedare specified, the clear plane data, and the color plane data; adetermining unit that determines whether the total amount controllingprocess is applied to the clear plane data of the clear toner plane dataand the color plane data; a difference calculating unit that calculatesa difference between the density value of a pixel of the clear tonerplane data and the density value of the pixel of the clear toner planedata to which the total amount controlling process is applied, for eachpixel, when the total amount controlling process is applied to the clearplane data of the clear toner plane data and the color plane data; anextracting unit that extracts an inconsistent region composed of a pixelin which the difference is not smaller than a predetermined value; and adisplay unit that displays the inconsistent region.
 10. A display methodexecuted by an information processing system connected to a printingdevice that is equipped with a colored color toner and a colorless cleartoner and forms an image on a recording medium based on color plane datato attach the color toner and clear toner plane data to attach the cleartoner, the display method comprising: a total amount controlling step ofapplying a total amount controlling process to the color plane data andclear plane data in which a density value to specify a transparent imageby the clear toner is specified, to perform correction such that a sumof density values of all pixels composing the color plane data and theclear plane data becomes not larger than a certain value in apredetermined case; a clear toner plane generating step of generatingthe clear toner plane data based on gloss control plane data in which atype of a surface effect, which is a visual or tactile effect to beapplied to the recording medium, and the density value to specify aregion in the recording medium to which the surface effect is appliedare specified, the clear plane data, and the color plane data; adetermining step of determining whether the total amount controllingprocess is applied to the clear plane data of the clear toner plane dataand the color plane data; a difference calculating step of calculating adifference between the density value of a pixel of the clear toner planedata and the density value of the pixel of the clear toner plane data towhich the total amount controlling process is applied, for each pixel,when the total amount controlling process is applied to the clear planedata of the clear toner plane data and the color plane data; anextracting step of extracting an inconsistent region composed of a pixelin which the difference is not smaller than a predetermined value; and adisplaying step of displaying the inconsistent region.